







Class r / . -f 'T 

Book -g. E> 4- ! 

GopvriglitN 0 ^ i- 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSWi 








i 


4 


The HENNEKER DIAMONDS 



1 threw myself on the flat roc\ and studied the 
appearance of the newcomers 




















HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


Based upon an episode in Captain 
Marryat's famous story— 

The Little Savage. 

Done for 

Story-Teller's House 

By 

JOSEPH BERNARD 

Drawings by 
Lenard Holmes 



THOMAS S. ROCKWELL COMPANY 
CHICAGO 
1930 



L 
















PZ7 

.64551 

Hjl 


Copyright 1930 by 

THOMAS S. ROCKWELL COMPANY 
Chicago 


Printed in United States of America 


flUG 2 3 1930 

©CIA 26873 


V > 


CONTENTS 


I Life on Our Island 9 

/ learn how 1 came to the desert island—Our 
manner of life 

II I Discover a Hiding Place 13 

A ship approaches the island but is wrecked 
in a tropical gale 

III My Master is Blinded 16 

/ learn my name and his, and find a way 
to tame him 

IV I Become Master 20 

/ find a chest from the wrec\ and the con¬ 
tents ma\es me master 

V I Hear of My Parents 26 

Jackson begins his story —/ bring the chest 
to the cabin 

VI I Learn to Read 33 

Even a blind man can be a teacher —7 re¬ 
plenish our provisions 

VII Jackson Sings Songs 37 

The contents of the cas\ loosens Jackson’s 
tongue and I learn more of my story 

VIII A Plunge Over the Cliff 44 

Jackson pays the final penalty for his mur¬ 
der of two men 


IX 

The Henneker Diamonds 

50 


I learn the whole truth about my father 



and the diamonds 


X 

I Leave the Island 

61 


A ship appears and a little savage finds his 
family at last 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


1 threw myself on the flat roc\ and studied the 

appearance of the newcomers frontispiece 

The whole surface would be covered with birds n 

We also got as many fish as we wanted 12 

His beard was two feet long and bushy 13 

We shut our eyes against the lightning 14 

A flash of lightning revealed the dismantled ship 15 

“Go in to bed directly," l cried 19 

/ proceeded to open it with a stone 20 

He felt the side of the bed and passed his right 

hand over to seize me 23 

/ carried some of the clothes to the cabin 25 

I tended him carefully, dressing his wound 27 

He would remain the whole day looking out 

to sea 31 

Jackson explained about religion to me 32 

I loo\ed at what he had drawn 34 

The cas\ was lying in the water 37 

/ was also much pleased for he had a good voice 
and sang in good tune 41 

1 sat by waiting till he should rouse up again 49 

/ looked over and saw him as he san\ 53 

He saved himself when his body was half over 55 

She would have starved with pleasure, but she 
could not bear to see you suffer 57 

The tas\ occupied me two hours 59 

/ could feel something sewed in every square 63 


% 





































Chapter I 


LIFE ON OUR ISLAND 

A HISTORY is a curious one, for I believe I 
1VJL am the first boy ever left alone and friendless 
on an uninhabited island. 

I guess I was about five years old at the time I first 
remember clearly what passed. I was with a man 
on a desolate island and we often walked along the 
shore of the sea. This was rocky and hard to climb, 
and the man used to drag me over the worst places. 
He was very unkind to me, which was strange, for 
I was the only companion he had. He was of a 
gloomy turn of mind and would squat in the corner 
of our cabin and not speak for hours. Or he would 
remain the whole day looking out at the sea, as if 
watching for something, but what I never could 
tell. For if I spoke he would not reply, and if near 
to him I was sure to receive a cuff or a heavy blow. 

I state here what I learned from him about our 
being left alone on this deserted spot. I gained the 
information when he was lying sick, and that only 
by refusing to wait on him or bring him food and 
water. He said he would make me smart for it 
when he got well again, but I did not care. For I 


9 


10 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


was then growing strong while he became weaker 
every day. And I had no love for him, because he 
had never shown me any. 

He told me that about twelve years before an 
English ship had been wrecked near the island, that 
seven men and one woman had been saved, and all 
the other people drowned. I had been born on the 
island, but by the time I was two years old everybody 
but the two of us had died and been buried. More 
he would not tell me, but he did talk sometimes in 
his sleep, and I used to lie awake and listen—not at 
first, but when I grew older. Again and again he 
would cry out in his sleep: “God be merciful to me 
for my heavy sins!” 

I will now describe the island and the way in 
which we lived. The island was small, perhaps not 
three miles round. It was of rock and there was 
no landing place, for the sea washed its steep sides 
with deep water. Our cabin was built of ship-plank 
and timber from the wreck, under the shelter of a 
cliff. Before it was a flat of thirty yards square, and 
from the cliff trickled down a rill of water that fell 
into a hole dug to collect it and then found its way 
over the flat to the rocks beneath. The cabin was 
large but not too much so, as we had to store in it our 
provisions for many months. Our bed-places were 
made soft with the feathers of sea-birds which re¬ 
sorted to the island. Furniture there was none ex- 


LIFE ON OUR ISLAND 


ii 


cept three old axes blunted with long use, a tin 
pannikin, mess-kid or tub such as sailors use for their 
food, some rude vessels to hold water cut out of wood 
and a rough bedstead made of driftwood. 

The climate was warm all the year round, and 
there seldom was a fall of rain. At a certain period 
of the year numberless birds came to the island to 
breed on a level spot divided from our cabin by a 
deep ravine. Here the birds would sit on their eggs, 
not four inches apart from each other, and the whole 
surface of twenty acres would be completely covered 
with them. There they would remain from the time 
of the laying of the eggs until the young ones were 
able to leave their nests and fly away with them. 

This was our harvest time. We would rob the 
old birds of their young, collecting hundreds every 
day and bearing them across the ravine to the plat¬ 
form in front of our cabin, where we skinned them, 
split them and hung them to dry in the sun. Then 
they were packed up in a corner of the cabin for use 
during the year. Eggs were also taken in large 
quantities at the time the sea-birds first made their 
nests. The air of the island was so pure that they 
did not spoil. 

We got also as many fish as we wanted. Our lines 
were made of the leg sinews of the man-of-war birds, 
many of them knotted together to be long enough 
to reach over the rocks. We fixed our bait over a 






12 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


strong fish-bone that was fastened to the line by the 
middle and answered our purpose as well as the best 
hook. Our clothing, such as it was, we got from the 
birds. These we skinned with their feathers on, and 
sewed the skins together with sinews and a fish-bone 
by way of a needle. The climate was so fine we did 
not suffer from cold at any season of the year. 

We had no employment of any kind. There was 
a book, and I asked what it was for and what it was, 
but I got no answer. It stayed on its shelf, for if I 
only looked at it I was ordered away. And at last 
it filled me with a sort of fear, as if it were a kind 
of strange animal. 




Chapter II 


I DISCOVER A HIDING PLACE 


M Y MASTER, as I called him, was a short 
square-built man. His hair was of a dark 
color and fell down his back in thick clusters. 
His beard was two feet long and bushy—indeed, he 
was covered with hair wherever his person was 
exposed. He was very strong, but except when we 
collected birds or went up the ravine to bring down 
faggots of wood for a fire he seldom moved out of 
the cabin, unless it was to bathe. Every morning 
almost we went down to swim in a pool that was 
secure from sharks because it was separated from 
the sea by a low ridge of rocks. When I was seven 
or eight years old I could swim like a fish. 

Thus was my life passed away. My duties were 
trifling, I had little or nothing to employ myself 
about, for I had no means of doing anything. I 
seldom heard the sound of a human voice, and be¬ 
came as tongue-tied as my companion. I was little 
better than a beast of the field that lies down on the 
pasture after it is filled. There was one great source 
of interest, however, which was to listen to the sleep¬ 
ing talk of my companion. He kept muttering about 



13 


i4 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


“that woman” and about something he had hidden 
away. One night when the moon was shining 
bright, he sat up in his bed and throwing aside the 
feathers on which he had been lying scratched the 
mold away below them and lifted up a piece of 
board. After a minute he replaced everything and 
lay down again. He evidently was sleeping during 
the whole time. Here at last was something to feed 
my thoughts with. I had heard him say in his sleep 
that he had hidden something—this must be the 
hiding place. 

One day as I looked to seaward I saw a large white 
object on the water. “Look, master,” I said, pointing 
to it. 

“A ship, a ship!” cried my companion. 

He rushed into the cabin to strike a light, which 
he obtained by a piece of iron and flint, with some 
fine, dry moss for tinder. He soon came out with 
his hands full of smoking tinder and putting it 
under a pile of wood was busy blowing it into a 
flame. The wood was quickly set fire to, and the 
smoke ascended several feet into the air. “They’ll 
see that,” he said. 

I pointed to the horizon where some small clouds 
were rising up which as I knew from experience 
were a sign of a short but violent gale. I watched 
the squall advancing with a furious speed. The 
men on board the ship had not noticed it until it 


I DISCOVER A HIDING PLACE 


*5 


was too late, for in another moment almost I saw 
the vessel bowed down to the fury of the gale, and 
after that the mist was so great that I could not see 
her any more. For two hours the tornado lasted 
without interruption. Speak we could not because 
of the force of the wind and the deluge of water 
which descended. We shut our eyes against the 
lightning and held our fingers to our ears to deaden 
the awful noise of the thunder. When the sky had 
cleared a little, a flash of lightning revealed the ship 
to me—dismasted, rolling in the breakers, bearing 
down upon the high rocks. 

“I will go and see what goes on,” I said. 

“Go,” said my companion, “and share the fate of 
the dying men.” 





Chapter III 


MY MASTER IS BLINDED 

B EFORE I had gone fifty paces, another flash 
of lightning was followed by a loud shriek. 
I heard my companion call me to come back. 
I obeyed him, and found him lying upon his bed- 
place without motion or noise. “What is the matter, 
master?” said I. 

“I am blind,” he replied. “The lightning has 
burned out my eyes. All is dark as night, and I 
care not if I die tomorrow.” 

And then he turned towards me and I saw there 
was no light in his eyes. “Bring me water, do you 
hear?” he cried angrily, and made as if to strike me 
one of his terrible blows. 

Perhaps I should observe here that my feelings 
toward this man were those of positive dislike, if 
not hatred. I had never had one kind word or deed 
from him. Harsh and unfeeling toward me, only 
suffering me about him because I saved him trouble 
and he needed some living thing for company—his 
feelings for me had become mine for him. I was 
now, I suppose, twelve or thirteen years old—strong 
and active. More than once I had felt inclined to 


16 


MY MASTER IS BLINDED 


17 


measure my strength against his. Irritated at his 
angry language, I therefore replied: 

“Go for the water yourself.” 

Having said this, I walked out of the cabin and 
left him. He cried out, “Don’t leave me,” but I 
heeded him not and sat down at the edge of the flat 
ledge of the rock before the cabin. Looking at the 
white dancing waves and deep in my own thoughts, 
I considered a long while how I should behave to¬ 
wards him. I did not wish him to die, as I knew he 
must if I left him. He could not get water from 
the rill without a great chance of falling over the 
cliff. In fact, I was now fully aware of his helpless 
state. To prove it to myself, I rose and shut my own 
eyes and tried if I could venture to move on such 
dangerous ground—and I felt sure that I could not. 

He was then in my power. He could do nothing. 
He must trust to me for almost everything. I had 
said, let what would follow, I would be master and 
he boy, but that could not be, as I must still wait 
upon him or he would die. At last the thought came 
suddenly upon me: I will be master nevertheless, for 
now he shall answer me all my questions, tell me all 
he knows, or he will starve. He is in my power. 
Having arranged my plans, I returned to the cabin 
and said to him: 

“I will be kind to you and not leave you to starve, 
if you will do what I ask.” 


18 THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 

“And what is that?” he replied. 

“Answer every question I put to you.” 

“Well,” he said slowly, “it is a judgment upon me, 
and I must agree. I will do as you wish.” 

“Well then, to begin,” I said, “what is your name?” 

He groaned, ground his teeth, and then said, 
“Edward Jackson.” 

“And my name?” I asked. 

“Will you bring me some water for my eyes?” 
he said. “They burn most terribly.” 

“Not unless you tell me my name.” 

“Frank Henneker—and curses on it.” 

I went out, filled a kid, and put it by his side. 
“There is the water, Jackson. If you want anything, 
call me. I shall be outside.” 

He should talk now as much as I pleased, for I 
was the master. I had been treated as a slave, and 
was now fully prepared to play the tyrant. Mercy 
and compassion I knew not. I had never seen them 
called forth, and I felt them not. I sat down on the 
flat rock for some time, and then it occurred to me 
that I would turn the course of the water which fell 
into the hole at the edge of the cliff; so that if he 
crawled there he would not be able to obtain any. 
I did so and emptied the hole. The water was now 
only to be obtained by climbing up, and it was out 
of his power to get a drop. 

I now decided I would have a full and particular 


MY MASTER IS BLINDED 


i9 


account of how the vessel had been wrecked on the 
island, and who were my father and mother—when 
I was aroused by Jackson (as I shall in future call 
him) fairly screaming my name. I would not an¬ 
swer him. 

After a moment I saw that he crawled out of his 
bed-place, and feeling by the sides of the cabin con¬ 
trived on his hands and knees to crawl in the direc¬ 
tion of the hole into which the water had previously 
been received. I smiled at what I knew would be 
his disappointment when he arrived there. He did 
so at last: put his hand down to feel the edge of the 
hole, and then down into it to feel for the water. 
When he found there was none, he cursed bitterly, 
and I laughed at his vexation. 

He then felt all the way down where the water 
had fallen, and found that the course of it had been 
stopped, and he dared not attempt anything further. 
He dashed his clenched hand against the rock. “Oh! 
that I had him in my grasp—if it were but for one 
moment,” he cried. “I would not care if I was struck 
dead the next.” 

“But you have not got me in your hands,” I replied 
to him from above, “and you will not have. Go in 
to bed directly—quick,” I cried, throwing a piece 
of rock which hit him on the head. “Crawl back 
as fast as you can, you fool, or I’ll send another rock 
at you. I’ll tame you!” 












Chapter IV 


I BECOME MASTER 


I 


THEN went down to the water’s edge to see if I 
could find anything from the wreck, for the 
water was smooth and no longer washed over the 
edge of the island. Except fragments of wood, I 
saw nothing until I arrived at the pool where we 
_ were accustomed to bathe. There 1 found the sea 

-^ s , ^j**\^V.had thrown into the pool two articles—one was a 
' cask of the size of a puncheon, and the other was a 
seaman’s chest. The cask was firm in the sand and 
I could not move it. The chest was floating. I 
hauled it up on the rocks without difficulty and pro¬ 
ceeded to open it with a big stone. I found in it a 
quantity of seaman’s clothes, two new tin pannikins 
that would hold water, three empty wine bottles, 
a hammer, a chisel, a gimlet, and some other tools, 
also three or four fishing lines many fathoms long. 
But what pleased me most were two knives, one shut¬ 
ting up, with a lanyard sheath to wear round the 
waist; and the other an American long knife, in a 
sheath, which is usually worn by them in the belt. 

Now, three or four years back Jackson had the 
remains of a clasp knife—there was about an inch 




I BECOME MASTER 


21 


of the blade remaining—and this he valued very 
much. Indeed, miserable as the article was, in our 
destitute state it was invaluable. 

This knife he had laid on the rock when fishing, 
and it had been dragged into the sea as his line 
ran out; and he was for many days inconsolable for 
its loss. We had used it for cutting open the birds 
when we skinned them, and since the loss of it we 
had had hard work to get the skins off. I therefore 
well knew what these knives were worth. 

The remainder of the articles in the chest, which 
was quite full, I laid upon the rocks to dry, with the 
clothes. Of most of them I did not know the use, 
and so did not prize them at the time—it was not 
until afterwards that I learned their value. Among 
these articles were two books. 

I felt the knives, the blades were sharp. I put the 
lanyard of the clasp knife round my neck. The 
sheath knife, which was a formidable weapon, I 
made fast round my waist with a piece cut from 
the fishing lines. I then turned my steps to the 
cabin, as night was coming on, though the moon 
was high in the heavens and shining brightly. Jack- 
son heard me come in and asked me in a quiet tone 
if I would bring some water to his bed-place. 

“No, I will not,” I said, “because of what you said 
you would do if you got me in your power. 1*11 
tame you,” I cried. “I’m master now.” 


22 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


“That is no reason you should not let me have 
some water,” he replied. “Did I ever prevent you 
from having water?” 

“What trouble would you take for me if I were 
blind ?” I asked. “You would leave me to die. You 
only let me live to work for you, and you beat me 
cruelly all the time.” 

“Be it so,” Jackson replied, calmly. “I shall not 
want water long.” 

There was a quietness about Jackson that made me 
suspect him. The result was that when I turned in 
that night I remained awake, thinking of what had 
passed. Towards morning I heard him move—he 
crept very softly out of his bed-place toward me, 
listening, and advancing on his knees not more than 
a foot every ten seconds. 

“You want me in your grasp,” thought I, “all 
right, come on!” And I drew my American knife 
from its sheath without noise and awaited his ap¬ 
proach, smiling at the surprise he would meet with. 

I allowed him to come right up to me. He felt 
the side of my bed and then passed his right hand 
over to seize me. I caught this hand with my left 
and, passing the knife across his wrist, began to 
divide it from his arm. He gave a shriek of surprise 
and pain and fell back. 

“He has a knife!” he exclaimed with surprise, hold¬ 
ing his partly severed wrist with the other hand. 



He felt the side of my bed and passed his right 
hand over to seize me 









































24 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


“Yes, he has a knife,” I mocked, “and you see that 
he knows how to use it. Will you come again—or 
will you believe I am master ?” 

“If you have any mercy, kill me at once,” he said, 
as he sat up in the moonlight in the center of the 
floor of the cabin. 

“Mercy,” I said, “what is that? I never heard of it.” 

“Alas, no,” he said, “I never showed you any. Lord 
forgive me, it’s a judgment on me for my sins. First 
my eyes, and now my right hand useless. What 
next, O Lord of heaven?” 

“Why, your other hand next,” I said, “if you try 
it again.” 

Jackson made no reply. He tried to crawl back 
to his bed, but faint with loss of blood he dropped 
senseless on the floor. Satisfied that he would make 
no more attempts on me, I fell fast asleep. In about 
two hours I awoke and saw him lying on the floor 
where he had fallen the night before. He lay in a 
pool of blood—was he asleep or was he dead ? I felt 
him, and he was quite warm. It was a ghastly cut 
on his wrist, and I thought, if he is dead he will 
never tell me what I want to know. I remembered 
he bound up cuts to stop the blood. So I took some 
feathers from the bed and put a handful on the 
wound. After I had done this, I bound up his wrist 
with a piece of fishing line I had taken to secure the 
sheath knife round my waist, and then I went for 


I BECOME MASTER 


25 


some water. I poured some down his throat. This 
revived him, and he opened his eyes. 

“Give me some more water,” he said, faintly. 

I did so, for I did not wish to kill him. I wanted 
him to live and to be in my power. After drinking 
the water, he roused and crawled back to his bed- 
place. I went down to bathe. 

What a horrid tyrant I was ? Every inch as bad as 
my companion ? Exactly—I was so—but I had been 
made bad by education. From the time I could first 
remember, I had been cuffed, kicked, abused, and 
ill-treated. I had never known kindness. Most truly 
had I asked the question, “Mercy, what is that?” I 
never heard of it. I had never seen the softer feel¬ 
ings of our nature called into play. 

After I had bathed, I again examined the chest 
and its contents. “I must know what those two 
books mean,” I thought, “and I will know.” My 
thirst for knowledge was certainly most remarkable 
in a boy of my age. Jackson having invariably re¬ 
fused to enlighten me on any subject, I became most 
anxious to satisfy the longing which increased with 
my growth. 



Chapter V 


I HEAR OF MY PARENTS 

F OR three days did Jackson lie on his bed. I 
supplied him with water, but he did not eat 
anything. He groaned heavily at times and 
talked much with himself. And I heard him ask 
forgiveness of God for his sins. On the third day 
he said to me— 

“Henneker, I am very ill. I have a fever from 
the wound you gave me. I know I have treated 
you ill and that you must hate me. But the ques¬ 
tion is, do you wish me to die?” 

“No,” I said, “I want you to answer my questions.” 
“I will do so,” he said. “My wound is festering, 
the feathers make it worse. It must be washed and 
dressed. Will you do this?” 

I thought a little, and recollected that he was still 
in my power, as he could not obtain water. So I 
fetched the kid of water and untied the cord and 
took away the feathers which had matted together 
with the flow of blood. Then I washed the wound 
carefully. 

“What are those little white cords that are cut 
through?” I said. 


26 


I HEAR OF MY PARENTS 


2 7 


“They are the sinews and tendons,” replied Jack- 
son. “By them we are enabled to move our hands 
and fingers. Now they are cut through, I shall not 
have the use of my hand again.” 

“Stop a moment,” I said, rising up, “I have just 
thought of something.” I ran down to the point 
where the chest lay, took a shirt from the rock and 
brought it back with me. Tearing it into strips, I 
bandaged the wound. 

“Where did you get that linen?” said Jackson. 

I told him, and that I had got the knife there too. 

“I feel kindly to you,” he said then, “for having 
bound up my wound. If I had my eyesight and was 
master again, as I was a week ago, I would not kick 
nor beat you, but be kind to you.” 

For two days, while Jackson remained in the grip 
of his fever, I tended him carefully, washing and 
dressing his wound. Gradually the hatred I bore to 
him wore off, and in handling him I was anxious 
not to give him more pain than necessary. Again 
it was on the third morning after that he spoke to 
me and said— 

“I am able to talk to you now. What is it you 
want to know?” 

“The whole story of how we came to this island,” 
I cried, “who my father and mother were, and why 
you hate me and my name.” 

“Well then, here is the story,” said Jackson— 



28 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


“I was not intended for a sailor. I was taught in a 
good English school, and when I was ten years old I 
was put into a house of business as a clerk. This 
house was connected with the South American trade. 
Another boy who had come into the counting-house 
as a clerk but a few months before I came there was 
your father. 

“The owner of this great house of business was 
Mr. Evelyn. He was very particular with both your 
father and myself, scanning our work daily, and 
finding fault when we deserved it. This caused a 
rivalry between us. On Sunday, Mr. Evelyn used 
to ask your father and me to spend the day. We 
went to church in the forenoon and dined with him. 
He had a daughter a little younger than we were. 
She was your mother. Both of us, as we grew up, 
were attentive to her and anxious to be in her good 
graces. She preferred me to your father, because 
I was lively and a better companion than he. I think 
she would have married me if I had conducted my¬ 
self properly. 

“But before I was of age I made some bad acquaint¬ 
ances. The worst was that I acquired the habit of 
drinking to excess, which I never have since got 
over, which proved my ruin then and has proved 
my ruin through life. 

“When I was twenty-one years old, I was dis¬ 
missed by Mr. Evelyn. He had found that I was 


I HEAR OF MY PARENTS 


29 


living a riotous life and ordered me to leave his 
service. I tried hard to see Miss Evelyn before I 
quit the house forever, but she had been sent away 
to live for a time with relatives in the country. 

“So I put what capital I had in the wine trade, 
bought a share in a brig, and sailed in her myself. 
After a time I was sufficiently expert to take com¬ 
mand of her and might have succeeded, had not my 
habit of drinking been so confirmed. When at Cey¬ 
lon, I fell sick and was left behind. The brig was 
lost and, as I had forgotten to insure my share in 
her, I was ruined. Thus did I sink down from 
captain of a vessel to mate, from mate to second mate, 
until at last I found myself a drunken sailor before 
the mast. 

“After sailing in vessel after vessel, always dis¬ 
missed at the end of a voyage for drunkenness, I 
embarked on board a ship bound for Chile. When 
I had been on that coast for about a year, we were 
about to proceed home with a cargo when the captain 
agreed to take on two passengers, a gentleman and 
his wife, who wished to make the journey to Eng¬ 
land. Of all people in the world, this couple turned 
out to be your father and she who was once Miss 
Evelyn, whom I had once so loved and by my own 
folly had lost. 

“They recognized me and, despite my drunken 
state, spoke to me most kindly. A foolish pride, 


30 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


however, bade me tell them I wished to have noth¬ 
ing to do with them. 

“We were about to go round Cape Horn, when 
a gale from the southeast came on which ended in 
the loss of our vessel. The ship was old, she sprang 
a leak from straining, at last she became water 
logged, and we were forced to abandon her in haste 
during the night. We had no time to take anything 
with us; we left three men on board who were down 
below. By the mercy of heaven we ran the boat 
into the opening that was the only spot where we 
could have landed. I think I had better stop now, as 
I have a great deal to tell you yet.” 

“Do then,” I replied. “I will bring up the chest 
and you shall tell me what all the things in it are 
good for.” 

I went down and returned with the clothes and 
linen. There were eight pairs of trousers, nine 
shirts—besides the one I had torn up to bandage his 
wounds with—two pairs of blue trousers and two 
jackets, four white duck frocks, some shoes and 
stockings. Jackson felt them one by one and told 
me what they were, and how worn. 

“Let me have a duck frock and a pair of trousers,” 
he said. I handed the articles to him and then went 
back for the rest which I had left on the rocks. When 
I returned with arms full, I found he had put the 
things on. “I feel more like a human being now,” 


I HEAR OF MY PARENTS 


3i 


he said. “Now what have you brought this time?” 

“Here,” said I, “what is this?” 

“This is a roll of duck to make into frocks and 
trousers,” he said. “That is bees’ wax.” He then 
explained to me all the tools, sailing needles, fish¬ 
hooks and fishing lines, some sheets of writing 
paper, and two pens that I had brought with me. 
“All these are very valuable,” he said after a pause, 
“and would have added much to our comfort if I 
had not been blind.” 

On my third and last trip I brought up the re¬ 
maining articles in the chest. It was a heavy load 
to carry up the rocks, and I was out of breath when I 
finally set it down on the cabin floor. 

“Now what is this?” I asked. 

“That is a spy-glass. I am blind, alas, but I will 
show you how to use it, at all events. Here are two 
books. By its shape and feel, I am quite sure this 
one is a Bible and the other is, I think, a prayer book. 
I will tell you what they are before we go to sleep 
tonight,” said Jackson gravely. 

“I shall remind you of that,” I replied. “I have 
found a small box in the chest that is full of all man¬ 
ner of little things—sinews and strings.” I put the 
bundle into his hands to feel. 

“These are needles and thread for making and 
mending clothes,” he said. “They will be useful 
bye and bye.” 










3* 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


True to his promise, before we went to bed that 
night, Jackson explained to me about God and 
religion. After this talk he seemed cast down and 
kept muttering to himself for a long while there¬ 
after until he went to sleep. 



Chapter VI 


I LEARN TO READ 

1 DID not on the following day ask Jackson to 
continue his narrative about my father and 
mother. I saw he avoided doing so, and I had 
already so far changed as to have some thought for 
his feelings. Another point had taken hold of my 
mind: I wondered, was it possible to read the books 
I had found in the chest. This was the first ques¬ 
tion I put to Jackson when we arose on that 
morning. He pondered a moment. 

“Let me think,” he said. “Perhaps there is a way 
for me to teach you, even though I am blind. You 
know which book I told you was the prayer book?” 
“Oh yes! the small thin one.” 

“Yes—fetch it here.” “Now,” he said when I put 
it into his hand, “tell me; among the letters near the 
edge of the page here, are some larger than others.” 
“Yes, some of them are.” 

“Well then, I will open the book as near as I can 
guess at the morning service. See if you can find 
any part of the page which appears to begin with a 
large round letter, like—what shall I say?—the 
bottom of a pannikin.” 


33 


34 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


“There is one on this leaf, quite round.” 

“Very well. Now get me a small piece of stick 
and make a point to it.” I did so, and Jackson swept 
away a place on the floor of the cabin. “Now,” said 
he, “there are many prayers that begin with a round 
O, as the letter is called. So I must first find if this 
is the prayer I want. If it is, I know it by heart, and 
shall be able to teach you all the letters of the 
alphabet from this prayer.” 

“What is an alphabet?” 

“That is the whole number of letters which makes 
us able to read and write. There are twenty-six of 
them. Now look, Frank: is the next letter to O the 
shape of this?” And he drew with his pointed stick 
the letter U on the ground. 

“Yes, it is,” I replied. 

“And the next is like this?” he went on, drawing 
the letter R after he had smoothed the ground and 
rubbed out the U. 

“Yes, it is,” I replied. 

“Well then, to make sure, I had better go on. 
OUR is one word, and then there is a little space 
between, and next you come to an F?” 

“Yes,” I said, looking at what he had drawn and 
then comparing it with the letter in the book. 

“Then I believe we are all right,” said Jackson, 
“but to make sure, we will go on a while longer.” 
He completed the word “Father” and “which art” 


I LEARN TO READ 


35 


that followed it, and then he was satisfied that he 
could make me understand the various letters. 

“Now,” he said, “out of that prayer I can teach 
you all the letters, and if you pay attention you will 
learn to read.” 

The whole morning was passed in my telling him 
the different letters, and I soon knew them all. Dur¬ 
ing the day, the Lord’s Prayer was gone through, 
and as I learned the words as well as the letters, I 
could repeat it before night. I read it over to Jack- 
son twenty or thirty times, spelling every word letter 
by letter until I was perfect. This was my first lesson. 

I had learned so much from Jackson latterly that I 
could hardly retain what I had learned. I had a 
confused memory of many things in my brain, and 
my thoughts kept turning from one subject to an¬ 
other. Slowly, however, things began to unravel and 
my ideas became more clear. My mind was now 
occupied with only one wish, which was to learn to 
read. I thought no more of Jackson’s history and 
the account he might give me of my father and 
mother, and was as willing as he that it should be 
put off for a time. Three or four hours in the earlier 
portion of the day, and the same time in the litter, 
were devoted to reading my books, and my attention 
never seemed to tire. In about six weeks I could 
read without hesitation almost any portion of them. 
I cannot say I understood many parts which I read, 


36 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


and the questions I put to Jackson puzzled him not a 
little. Very often he had to say that he could not 
answer them. 

But the season for the return of the birds arrived, 
and our stock of provisions was getting low. I was 
therefore obliged to leave my books and work hard 
for Jackson and myself. As soon as the young birds 
were old enough, I set to my task. And now I 
found how valuable were the knives which I had 
obtained from the seaman’s chest; indeed, in many 
points I could work much faster. By tying the neck 
and sleeves of a duck frock, I made a bag that enabled 
me to carry the birds more easily and in greater 
quantities at a time. With the knives I could skin 
and prepare a bird in one quarter of the time. With 
my fishing lines also I could hang up more to dry 
at one time, so that even without help I had more 
birds cured than when Jackson and I were both em¬ 
ployed in the work. The whole affair occupied me 
from morning to evening for more than three weeks, 
by which time the greater portion of my provision 
was piled up at the back of the cabin. I did not, 
however, lose what I had gained in reading, as 
Jackson would not let me go away in the morning 
or retire to my bed at night without my reading 
to him a passage from the Bible. Indeed, he ap¬ 
peared to be uncomfortable if I did not do so. 


Chapter VII 


JACKSON SINGS SONGS 


O NE day Jackson was telling me anecdotes 
about a monkey on board the vessel he had 
sailed in, how the animal was fond of spirits 
and would intoxicate itself. It suddenly occurred to 
me that I had never told him of the cask which had 
been thrown into the bathing pool with the seaman’s 
chest; so I mentioned it then to Jackson, wondering 
at its contents and how they might be got at. 

He entered into the question warmly, explaining 
to me how and where to bore holes with a gimlet, 
and making two spiles for me to stop the holes with. 
As soon as he had done so, curiosity led me to go 
down to the pool where the cask had been lying so 
long in about a foot and a half of water. 

I soon bored the hole above and below, following 
Jackson’s directions, and the liquor which poured 
out in a small stream into the pannikin I had with 
me was of a brown color and very strong in odor. 
This was so strong indeed as to make me reel as I 
walked back to the rocks with the pannikin full of 
it. I then sat down and after a time tasted the liquor. 
I thought I had swallowed fire, for I had taken a 







38 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


good mouthful of it. My head began to swim 
shortly and I lay down on the rock and shut my 
eyes to recover myself. I fell asleep for many hours, 
for it was not much after noon when I went to the 
cask, and it was near sunset when I awoke with an 
intense pain in my head. When I noted how long I 
must have slept I arose up and, taking the pannikin 
in my hand, hastened to return to the cabin. 

As I approached, I heard the voice of Jackson 
whose hearing since his blindness had become 
pec’ iiarly sharp. 

‘ Is that you, Frank?” 

“Yes,” I replied. 

“And what has kept you so long? Oh, how you 
have frightened me! I thought I was to be left and 
abandoned to starvation.” 

“Why should you have thought that?” I asked. 

“Because I thought in some way or other you must 
have been killed, and then I must have died, of 
course, without your help.” 

It occurred to me that this alarm was all for him¬ 
self, for he did not say a word about how sorry he 
should have been at any accident happening to me. 
I made no remark as to this, however, but simply 
stated what had occurred and voiced my conviction 
that the contests of the cask were undrinkable. 

“Have you brought any with you?” he asked. 

“Yes, here it is,” said I, giving him the pannikin. 


JACKSON SINGS SONGS 


39 


He smelt it and raised it to his lips—took about a 
wine-glassful of it, and then drew a deep breath. 

“But this is delightful,” he said; “the best of old 
rum, I never tasted so good. How big did you say 
the cask was?” 

I described it as well as I could. 

“Indeed, then it must be a whole puncheon—that 
will last a long time.” 

“Do you mean to say you really like that stuff?” 
I asked. 

“Yes,” said Jackson. “It’s good for men, but it’s 
death to little boys. It will kill you. Now promise 
me you will never drink a drop of it, or some sad 
accident will happen to you.” 

“I had one taste of it,” I answered, “and it nearly 
burned my mouth out. I shan’t touch it again.” 

“See you remember that,” growled Jackson, taking 
another quantity into his mouth. “Now I’ll go to 
bed, it’s time for bed. Bring the pannikin after me 
and put it by my side. Take care you don’t spill 
any of it.” 

Jackson crawled to his bed, and I followed him 
with the pannikin and put it by his side. At first 
he was quiet, but I heard him now and then drink¬ 
ing from the pannikin which held, I should say, 
about three half-pints of liquor. At last he com¬ 
menced singing a sea song. I was much surprised, 
as I had never heard him sing before. But I was 


4° 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


also much pleased, for he had a good voice and 
sang in good tune. As soon as he had finished, I 
begged him to go on. 

“Ah!” he replied, in a gay tone I had never heard 
him use before. “You like songs, do you, my little 
chap? Well, I’ll give you plenty of them. Here’s 
another for you. I shall rouse them all out by-and- 
by, as I get the grog in—no fear of that—you find 
the stuff and I’ll find songs.” 

When I awoke next morning, Jackson was still 
asleep. I took my morning meal by myself and then 
walked out to the rock and looked round the horizon 
to see if anything was in sight. The spy-glass was 
of no use, from having been in sea water. I returned 
after about an hour and found Jackson still snoring. 
I pushed him for some time, to wake him up, but 
without success. At last, after I shook him as hard 
as I could, he opened his eyes. 

“My watch already?” he asked. 

“No,” I said, “but you have slept a long time.” 

He paused as if he did not know my voice, and 
then said: “But I can’t see anything—how’s this?” 

“Why, don’t you know you’re blind?” I asked, 
with amazement. 

“Yes, yes, I remember now. Is there anything 
left in the pannikin?” 

“Not a drop,” I said, “you have drunk it all.” 

“Get me some water, then, my good boy.” 



/ was also much pleased for he had a good voice 
and sang in good tune 


41 


































42 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


I went for the water. He drank the whole pan¬ 
nikin and asked for more. 

“Won’t you have something to eat?” I said. 

“Oh no, I can’t eat anything. Give me drink.” 
And he held out his hand for the pannikin. I saw 
how it trembled and shook and spoke of it to him. 

“Yes,” he said, “that’s always the case after a 
carouse, and I had a good one last night—the first 
for many a year. But there’s plenty more of it. Did 
I make much noise last night, Frank?” 

“You sang several funny songs,” I replied. 

“I’m glad you liked them,” he said. “Now just 
go and fetch me about half an inch high of the pan¬ 
nikin, my good fellow.” 

I went down to the cask, drew off the quantity 
he wished for and brought it to him. He drank it 
and in a few moments appeared to be quite himself 
again. My day passed very agreeably listening to 
Jackson’s stories of former days. As the night closed 
in, he said: 

“Now, Frank, I know you want to hear some 
more songs. Bring me up a full pannikin and I will 
sing you plenty.” 

I did as he asked. Jackson got into his bed-place 
before he began drinking. And as soon as he had 
taken his second dose of rum he asked me what 
songs he had sung last night. I described them as 
well as I could. 


JACKSON SINGS SONGS 


43 


“Ah, they were all sea songs,” he said. “But now 
I’m going to give you something better.” 

After a little thought he commenced singing a 
beautiful and sad song, certainly much better than 
he had sung the night before, for he was now sober. 
But at last his speech became rapid and thick, and 
he would not sing any more, cursing me violently 
when I asked him to. For a time he was silent, and 
I thought he was going to sleep. Then I heard him 
talking and muttering. 

“Never mind how I got the diamonds,” said he. 
“Quite as honestly as other people, Old Moshes. 
There they are, if you want to buy them—they’re 
as pure stones as ever came out of a mine. Where 
did I come by them? that’s no concern of yours— 
will you give me the price, Old Moshes? Well then, 
I’m off. No, I won’t come back, you thieving Jew.” 
Here Jackson swore terribly, and then was silent. 

After a while he began again—“Who can ever 
prove that they were Henneker’s diamonds?” 

I started up at the mention of my father’s name. 
I rested with my hands on the floor of the cabin, 
breathless as to what would come next. 

“No, no,” continued Jackson, “he’s dead and food 
for fishes—dead men tell no tales. And she’s dead, 
and the captain’s dead, all dead—yes, all!” And he 
gave a bitter groan and was silent. 


Chapter VIII 


A PLUNGE DOWN THE CLIFF 

W HEN day broke I went out of the cabin and 
took my usual seat. I began to think over 
what I had heard. Jackson had talked about 
diamonds. Now I knew what diamonds were, for 
I had read of them in the Bible and Jackson had told 
me such precious stones were of very great value 
indeed. Then he had said they were Henneker’s 
diamonds—he must have meant my father, so much 
was sure. And that no one could prove they were 
his—this meant that Jackson had no right to them. 

I recalled his having a secret hiding place under his 
bed, where I was now certain the diamonds were 
deposited. I then turned over in my mind what 
Jackson had told me about the death of my father, 
the captain, and my mother—one day, right in the 
midst of a talk we were having on religion. I 
remembered now how confused he was at that 
moment, how glad he was to get rid of the subject, 
and how little trust I put in his account. After 
much thinking I now made up my mind that Jack- 
son had not told me the truth and that there was a 
mystery yet to be explained; but how was I to get 


44 


A PLUNGE DOWN THE CLIFF 


45 


at it? There was but one way. The liquor made 
him talk. Very well, I would supply him with 
liquor, and by degrees I would get the truth out of 
him. At the same time I would not allow him to 
suppose he had said anything to arouse my suspicions. 
I would remain on the best of terms with him and 
wait patiently for him to speak. 

One night, after he had finished his usual allow¬ 
ance of rum and had composed himself for sleep, 
I observed that he was restless, changing his position 
every few minutes. At last he muttered: 

“Captain James. Well, what of Captain James?” 

A thought suddenly struck me that he might reply 
to a question. 

“How did he die?” said I in a low clear voice. 

“Die?” said Jackson; “he fell down the cliff. Yes 
he did. You can’t say I killed him. No—I never put 
my finger on him.” 

After that he was silent for some time, and then 
he began again: 

“She always said that I destroyed them both, but 
I did not—only one—yes, one I grant—but I hated 
him—no, not for his diamonds—no, no—if you said 
for his wife indeed—love and hate.” 

“Then you killed him for love of his wife, and 
hate of himself?” 

“Yes, I did. Who are you to have guessed that? 
Who are you ? I’ll have your life.” 


4 6 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


As Jackson said this, he started up in bed, 
awakened by his dream and probably by my voice. 

“Frank Henneker, did you speak?” he said. 

I made no reply, but pretended to be sound asleep. 

“It could not have been him,” muttered Jackson. 
“Mercy, but what a dream!” 

He sank down in his bed-place, and I heard him 
drinking rum. He must have taken a great deal of 
it, to judge by the time the gurgling lasted. At last 
all was quiet again. 

“So I have discovered it at last,” I said softly to 
myself, as my blood boiled at what I had heard. “He 
did murder my father. Shall I kill him while he 
sleeps?” was the first thought that came to my 
troubled mind. “No, I won’t do that. What then, 
shall I tax him with it when he is awake, and then 
kill him?” but I thought that as he was blind and 
unable to defend himself, it would be cowardly, and 
I could not do that. 

A short time before daylight, I started up at what 
I thought was a faint cry, but I listened and hearing 
nothing more I again fell asleep. It was broad day¬ 
light when I arose. My first thoughts naturally were 
of Jackson and I looked at where he lay, but he was 
no longer there—his bed-place was empty. Then I 
recollected the cry I had heard in the night, and I 
ran out of the cabin and looked around me, but I 
could see nothing of him. I then went to the edge 


A PLUNGE DOWN THE CLIFF 


47 


of the flat rock on which the cabin was built and 
looked over it—it was about thirty feet from this rock 
to the one below, and the slope between the two was 
nearly perpendicular. 

I thought that Jackson must have gone out in the 
night, when intoxicated with liquor, and have fallen 
down the precipice; but I did not see him as I peered 
over. “He must have gone for water,” thought I, 
and I ran to the corner of the rock where the preci¬ 
pice was much deeper. And looking over, I saw him 
lying down below without motion or apparent life. 
I had, then, judged rightly. I sat down beside the 
pool of water quite overpowered. Last night I had 
been planning how I should destroy him, and now 
he lay before me without my being guilty of the 
crime. “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord,” were 
the first words that escaped my lips; and I remained 
many minutes in deep thought. At last it occurred 
to me that he might not yet be dead. I ran down the 
cliff and, clambering over the rocks, arrived breath¬ 
less at the spot where Jackson lay. He groaned 
heavily as I stood by him. 

“Jackson,” said I, kneeling down at his side, “are 
you much hurt?” for all my feelings of hate had 
vanished when I perceived his unhappy condition. 
His lips moved but he did not utter any sound. At 
last he said in a low voice, “Water.” 

I hastened back as fast as I could to the cabin, got 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


a pannikin half full of water and poured a little rum 
in it. This journey and my return to him took some 
ten minutes. I put the liquid to his lips and he 
seemed to revive. He was a dreadful object to look 
at. The blood from a cut on his head had poured 
over his face and beard, which were clotted with 
gore. How to remove him to the cabin I knew not. 
It would be hardly possible for me to carry him over 
the broken rocks which I had climbed to arrive at 
where he lay—and there was no other way but what 
was longer and just as difficult. 

By degrees he appeared to recover. I gave him 
more of the contents of the pannikin, and at last he 
could speak, although with great pain and difficulty. 
As he did so, he put his hand to his side. He was 
indeed a ghastly object, with his sightless eyeballs, 
his livid lips, and his face and beard matted with 
caked blood. 

“Do you think you could get to the cabin if I 
helped you?” I said. 

“I shall never get there—let me die where I am,” 
said he. 

“But the cut on your head is not very deep.” 

“No, I don’t feel it,” said Jackson, “but my side— 
I bleed inwardly—I am—broken to pieces.” 

I looked at Jackson’s side and saw that it was al¬ 
ready black and swollen. I offered him more drink, 
which he took eagerly, and I then returned for a 


A PLUNGE DOWN THE CLIFF 


49 


further supply. I filled two bottles with water and a 
small drop of spirits as before, and went back to 
where he lay. I found him more recovered, and I 
had hopes that he might still do well, and I told 
him so. 

“No, no,” he replied, “I have but a few hours to 
live—I feel that. Let me die here and die in peace.” 

He then sank into a sort of stupor, caused, I sup¬ 
pose, by what I had given him to drink, and re¬ 
mained quite quiet but breathing heavily. I sat by 
him waiting till he should rouse up again. 










Chapter IX 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 

W HAT I thought most of, was obtaining from 
him, now that he was dying, the full truth as 
to the deaths of my father and mother. 
Jackson remained so long in this state of stupor, I 
feared he would die before I could ask him. But as 
it proved, this was not to be the case. I waited an¬ 
other hour, very impatiently I must admit, and then 
I went to him and asked him how he felt. He re¬ 
plied at once and without the difficulty he had before. 

“I am better now. The inward bleeding has 
stopped. But still I can not live—my side is broken 
in, I do not think there is a rib that is not fractured 
into pieces, and my spine is injured, for I can not 
move or feel my legs. But I may live many hours 
yet, and I thank God for allowing me so much time 
—short indeed to make amends for so bad a life, but 
still, nothing is impossible with God.” 

“Well then,” I said, “if you can speak, I wish you 
would tell me the truth about my father’s death, and 
also about the death of the others. As for my father, I 
know you murdered him—for you said so last night 
in your sleep.’* 

so 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


5i 


“I am glad that I did,” replied Jackson, after a 
pause. “I have already told you the truth up to when 
the gale of wind came on which occasioned the loss 
of the ship. Now I’ll tell the rest of it. 

“The vessel was so tossed by the storm that the 
between-decks were full of water, and as the hatches 
were kept down the heat was most oppressive. When 
it was not my watch I remained below and looked 
out for another berth to sleep in. Before the cabin 
bulkheads on the starboard side the captain had 
fitted up a sort of sail-room to contain the spare sails 
in case we should require them. It was about eight 
feet square, and the sails were piled up in it so as to 
reach within two feet of the deck overhead. 
Though the lower sails were wet with the water, 
above they were dry, and I took this berth on the 
top of the sails as my sleeping place. 

“Now the stateroom in which your father and 
mother slept was on the other side of the cabin bulk¬ 
head, and the straining and rolling of the ship had 
opened the chinks between the planks, so that I could 
see a great deal of what was done in the stateroom 
and could hear every word almost that was spoken 
by your parents. I was not aware of this when I 
chose this place as my berth, but I found it out on 
the first night, the light of the candle shining 
through the chinks into the darkness by which I 
was surrounded outside. 


52 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


“Of course it is when a man is alone with his wife 
that he talks on private subjects, that I knew well. 
And I hoped by listening to be able to make some dis¬ 
covery. It was not till about a week after I had 
chosen this berth that I learned anything worth 
while. I had had the watch from six to eight o’clock 
and had gone to bed early. About nine o’clock your 
father came into the stateroom—your mother was 
already in bed. As your father undressed, your 
mother said, 'Does not that belt worry you a great 
deal, my dear?’ 

“ 'No,’ replied your father, ‘I am used to it now. 
I shall keep it on as long as this weather lasts. There 
is no saying what may happen, and it will not do to 
be looking for the belt at a moment’s warning.’ 

“ ‘Do you think then that we are in danger?* 

" ‘No, not particularly so, but the storm is very 
fierce and the vessel is old and weak. We may have 
fine weather in a day or two, or we may not. At all 
events, when property of value is at stake, and prop¬ 
erty that is not my own, I should feel myself much 
to blame if I did not take every precaution.’ 

“ 'Well—I wish we were safe home again, my dear, 
and that my father had his diamonds—but we are in 
the hands of God.’ 

“These words led me to look through one of the 
chinks of the bulkhead, and I saw your father was 
unbuckling a belt that ran round his body and which 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


53 


no doubt contained the diamonds spoken of. It was 
of soft leather and about eight inches wide, sewed in 
small squares in which I guessed the precious dia¬ 
monds were deposited. 

“Your father then extinguished the light, and the 
conversation was not renewed—but I had heard 
enough. Your father carried a great treasure about 
his person, wealth that if I once could obtain and 
return to England would save me from my present 
position. My greed was hereby excited, and thus 
another passion equally powerful and equally incit¬ 
ing to evil deeds was added to the hate I already 
had for your father. 

“Within the first three months after we were cast 
upon this island, three of the brig’s crew died—two 
from eating poisoned berries, the other overtaken by 
a shark while bathing in the sea. The deaths of so 
many, and at last the captain, your father and your 
mother being the only ones left on the island besides 
myself, once more excited my greed. I thought 
again of the belt of diamonds and by what means I 
should gain possession of it. I thought the only 
chance I had of carrying out my horrible wish was 
when your father went to fish off the rocks. 

“You know where I mean, Frank. I have often 
sent you to fish there, but I never could go myself 
since your father’s death. Your father took his lines 
there and was hauling in a large fish when I, who 


54 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


had concealed myself close to where he stood, 
watched the opportunity as he looked over the rock 
to see if the fish was clear of the water, to come be¬ 
hind him and throw him into the sea. He could not 
swim, I knew, and after waiting a minute or two I 
looked over and saw his body just as it sank, after 
his last struggles. 

“That was a dreadful day for all parties—no food 
was taken. The captain and I searched the island 
over, but of course found not the slightest trace of 
your father. Finally, your mother and the captain 
remained in the cabin, and I dared not go in as usual 
to my own bed-place. I lay all night upon the rocks 
with all the feelings of Cain upon my brow—sleep 
I could not. The next morning the captain came out 
to me. He was very grave and stern, but he could 
not accuse me, whatever his suspicions might have 
been. It was a week before I saw your mother again, 
for I dared not intrude into her presence. But find¬ 
ing there was no accusation against me, I recovered 
my spirits and returned to the cabin, and things went 
on as before. . . . 

“It was about four months after your father’s death 
that the captain and I went together to the ravine 
to collect firewood. We passed under the wall of 
rock which you know so well and were going 
through the gap, when the captain left the water¬ 
course and walked along the edge of the wall. I 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


55 


followed him—we both of us had the pieces of rope 
in our hands with which we tied the faggots. Of a 
sudden his foot slipped and he rolled to the edge of 
the rock, but catching hold of a small bush which 
had fixed its roots there, he saved himself when his 
body was hanging half over the precipice. 

“ ‘Give me the end of your rope/ said he to me, 
perfectly calm although in such danger. 

“ ‘Yes/ I replied, and I intended to do so, because 
I saw that if I refused he could still save himself by 
the bush to which he was clinging. 

“But the bush began to loosen and give way, and 
the captain cried out, ‘Quick, quick, the bush is 
giving way!’ This determined me not to throw him 
the rope. I pretended to be in a great hurry to do 
so, but entangled it about my legs and then ap¬ 
peared occupied in clearing it, when he cried again, 
‘Quick!* And hardly had he said the word when the 
root of the bush snapped, and down he fell below. 

“I heard the crash as he came to the rock beneath. 
See the judgment of God—am I not now precisely 
in his position, lying battered and crushed as he was ? 

“After a time I went down to where he lay and 
found him breathing his last. He had just strength 
to say ‘God forgive you/ and then he died. It was 
murder, for I could have saved him and would not, 
and yet he prayed to God to forgive me. How much 
happier should I have felt if he had not said that. 


56 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


His cry of ‘God forgive you’ rang in my ears for 
months afterwards. 

“I returned to the cabin and with a bold air stated 
to your mother what had happened, for this time I 
felt I could say I did not do the deed. She burst out 
into frantic exclamations, accusing me of being not 
only his murderer but the murderer of her husband. 
I tried all I could to appease her, but in vain. For 
many weeks she was in a state of melancholy and 
despair that made me fear for her life—but she had 
you still, Frank, to bestow her affection upon, and 
for your sake she lived. 

“I soon made this discovery. She was now wholly 
in my power, but I was awed by her looks even, for 
a time. At last I became bolder, and spoke to her of 
our becoming man and wife. She turned from me 
in horror. I then used other means. I prevented her 
from obtaining food—she would have starved with 
pleasure, but she could not bear to see you suffer, 
Frank. I will not tell of my cruelty towards her— 
it is enough to state that she pined away, and about 
six months after the death of the captain she died, 
begging me not to harm you, but if ever I had the 
chance to take you to your grandfather. I could not 
refuse this plea, made by a woman whom I as cer¬ 
tainly killed by slow means as I had your father by a 
more sudden death. 

“After her death, my life was a torture to me for 



She would have starved with pleasure, but she could 
not bear to see you suffer 




















5« 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


a long while. I dared not kill you, but I hated you. 
I had only one consolation—I had possession of the 
diamonds; one hope—that some day I should again 
see England. You see me now—are my enemies not 
all avenged ?” 

I could not but feel the truth of Jackson’s last 
sentence. They were indeed avenged. 

After a short pause he said to me: “Now, Frank, I 
feel that the mortification in my side is making great 
progress, and in a short time I shall be in too great 
pain to talk with you. I have made a full confession 
of my crimes—that is all I can do. Now can you for¬ 
give me? I shall die very miserable if you do not. 
Just look at me. Can you hate one in my wretched 
state? Remember that you pray to be forgiven as 
you forgive others. Give me your answer.” 

“I think—yes, I feel that I can forgive you, Jack- 
son,” I replied. “I shall soon be left alone on this 
island, and I am sure I should be miserable if I do 
not forgive you. I do forgive you.” 

“You are a good boy, and may God bless you. Is 
it not nearly daylight?” 

“Yes, it is. Shall I read the Bible or the Prayer 
Book to you? I have them both here.” 

“I cannot listen to you now—the pain is too severe. 
But I shall have moments of quiet before I die, and 
then—” 

Jackson groaned heavily and ceased speaking. 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


59 


For many hours he suffered much agony which he 
vented in low groans. The sweat hung on his brow 
in large beads, and his breathing became labored. 
The sun marked the noon and had nearly set before 
Jackson spoke again. 

“It is over now,” he said faintly. “The pain is less 
and death is near at hand. Read from the Bible what 
you think I shall like best—perhaps about the Prodi¬ 
gal Son—I hardly know.” 

He was then silent as I read the beautiful parable 
to him. I saw his pale lips move for some time. I 
turned away for a few moments; when I came back 
to him, he was no more. His jaw had fallen. And 
this being the first time that I had ever faced death, 
I looked upon the corpse with horror and dismay. 

After a few minutes I left the body and sat down 
on a rock at some distance from it, for I was rather 
afraid to be near to it. On this rock I remained till 
the sun was sinking below the horizon. Then, 
alarmed at the idea of being there after it was dark, 
I took up my books and hastened back to the cabin. 
I was giddy from excitement and from not having 
tasted food for many hours. 

As soon as I had eaten I lay down in my bed-place, 
intending to reflect on what I was to do, now that I 
was alone. But in a few minutes I was fast asleep 
and did not wake until the sun was high. I arose 
much refreshed and, seeing my Bible and Prayer 


6o 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


Book close to my bed, I remembered my promise to 
Jackson that I would read the burial service over his 
body—so I went with my book to where he lay. His 
body presented a yet more hideous spectacle than it 
had the night before. I read the service and closed 
the book. Then I covered the body with the frag¬ 
ments of rocks which lay about in all directions, a 
task which occupied me about two hours. Then I 
left the spot, with a resolution never again to visit it. 

I felt quite a relief when I was once more in the 
cabin. I was alone, it is true, but I was no longer in 
contact with the dead. I could not collect my 
thoughts or analyze my feelings during the rest of 
the day. I sat with my head resting on my hand, in 
the attitude of one thinking, but my mind was 
vacant. I once more lay down to sleep, and the fol¬ 
lowing morning found myself invigorated and 
capable of acting as well as thinking. I had a weight 
on my spirits which I could not at first account for, 
but it arose from the feeling that I was now alone, 
without a soul to speak to or communicate with. My 
lips must now be closed until I again fell in with 
some of my fellow creatures—and was that likely ? 


OO 




Chapter X 


I LEAVE THE ISLAND 

I WAS now, by Jackson’s account, nearly fourteen 
years old. During fourteen years but one vessel 
had been seen by us. It might be fourteen more 
before I should again fall in with any human beings. 
As these thoughts saddened me, I felt how much I 
would have sacrificed if Jackson had remained alive, 
were it only for his company. I would have forgiven 
him anything. Even then I felt as if in the murderer 
of my father I had lost a friend. 

That day I was so unsettled I could not do any¬ 
thing. I tried to read but I could not—I tried to eat 
but my appetite was gone. I sat looking at the ocean 
as it rolled wave after wave. The evening closed in 
—it was dark, and I remained seated where I was. 
At last I returned to my bed broken-hearted. 

Another morning was gladdened with a brilliant 
sun. The dark blue ocean was scarcely ruffled by 
the breeze that swept over it, and I felt my spirits 
much revived. After taking a meal, I remembered 
about the belt with the diamonds. So I went to 
Jackson’s bed-place, turned out the bird-skins and 
feathers, raked up the gravel which was not more 


61 


62 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


than two inches deep, and came to the board. This 
I lifted up, and found underneath a hole about a 
foot deep and full of various articles without mean¬ 
ing to me. But at the bottom of the hole was the 
belt I was seeking!’* 

It was of soft leather, and I could feel a hard sub¬ 
stance in it sewed in every square, which I of course 
presumed to be the diamonds. But I did not cut a 
single one of the divisions open to see what was in 
them. On the upper part of the belt in very plain 
writing were the words, “The property of Mr. J. 
Evelyn, 33, Minories, London.” My curiosity as to 
the diamonds having been thus easily satisfied, I re¬ 
placed them in the hole for a future survey. I 
covered the hole with the board and put the gravel 
and the feathers back into the bed-place. Then I 
again took up my position on the rocks and remained 
in a state of listless inactivity of body and mind for 
the rest of the day. 

This state of prostration lasted for many days—I 
may say for weeks. I could find no pleasure in my 
books; I often took them up, only after a few 
moments to lay them aside again; I almost loathed 
the sight of food, I hated the sight of the cabin and 
of all that was near to it. I quite failed to mark the 
passage of time—one evil hour was just like any 
other to me. 

Because of this useless repining about my destiny, 


I LEAVE THE ISLAND 


63 


in being obliged to live so many years on this far- 
distant corner of the earth, I had long ceased to look 
for passing ships. I scarcely ever thought about 
them any more, and had given up all speculations 
as to my Grandfather Evelyn’s reception of me when 
and if I should be saved from this living death on an 
uninhabited island. I rarely went near the sea, except 
to fish, and never cared to trouble myself about any¬ 
thing outside the limited space which had become 
my inheritance. 

Judge then of my surprise when, one sultry day, 
as I stood on the flat before the cabin, I saw as in a 
dream a ship off the island and a boat full of people 
that had just left her and was headed straight in my 
direction. I hastily took the spy-glass from the cabin, 
and as soon as I could get to a convenient position 
threw myself down on the flat rock and studied 
through the glass the appearance of the new-comers. 
It was but a breathless moment before those in the 
boat found me with their eyes. 

# # # # 

Well, that ends the story of Jackson and me, and 
that is what I set out to tell. We made a quick 
voyage to England. The little savage known as 
Frank Henneker landed safely in Plymouth and was 
soon cordially welcomed to his grandfather’s house 
in London. 

I have only to add that I had the happiness of re- 


6 4 


THE HENNEKER DIAMONDS 


storing to Grandfather Evelyn the diamonds I had 
obtained from Jackson. The almost forty thousand 
pounds Mr. Evelyn derived from their sale must have 
been most precious to him, for they restored him 
from the bankrupt condition into which he had 
nearly fallen to a position of affluence, and made him 
one of the richest merchants upon Change. 















# 
































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IIP 9 1930 































































